diff --git a/color.hpp b/color.hpp
index 4443c95..4026ba5 100644
--- a/color.hpp
+++ b/color.hpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #pragma once
+#include <SFML/Graphics/Color.hpp>
 
 namespace ColorValue {
   const sf::Color BLACK{0, 0, 0};
diff --git a/combat_ui.cpp b/combat_ui.cpp
index 721fd9f..d795aea 100644
--- a/combat_ui.cpp
+++ b/combat_ui.cpp
@@ -4,62 +4,30 @@
 
 namespace gui {
   CombatUI::CombatUI(GameLevel level) :
-      $layout(RAY_VIEW_X, RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT,
-          RAY_VIEW_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT - RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT),
-      $level(level),
-      $font{FONT_FILE_NAME}
+      $level(level)
   {
-    bool good = $layout.parse($grid);
-    dbc::check(good, "failed to parse combat layout");
+    $gui.position(RAY_VIEW_X, RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT, RAY_VIEW_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT - RAY_VIEW_HEIGHT);
+    $gui.layout(
+        "[*%(100,150)button_attack1 | *%(100,150)button_attack2 | *%(100,150)button_attack3 | *%(100,150)button_heal]"
+        "[ >.%(100,50)label_hp | *%.(200,50)bar_hp | _ ]");
     render();
   }
 
   void CombatUI::render() {
-    $background.setPosition({float($layout.grid_x), float($layout.grid_y)});
-    $background.setSize({float($layout.grid_w), float($layout.grid_h)});
-    $background.setFillColor({0, 0, 0});
-
-    for(auto& [name, cell] : $layout.cells) {
-      if(name == "bar_hp") {
-        $meters.try_emplace(name, cell);
-      } else if(name == "label_hp") {
-        gui::Label label(cell, "hp:", $font);
-        $labels.emplace_back(cell, "hp:", $font);
-      } else if(name.starts_with("button_")) {
-        $buttons.try_emplace(name, cell, name, $font);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  void CombatUI::draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
-    window.draw($background);
-    auto &player = $level.world->get_the<components::Player>();
-    auto &combat = $level.world->get<components::Combat>(player.entity);
-
-    float hp_now = float(combat.hp) / float(combat.max_hp);
-    auto& bar_hp = $meters.at("bar_hp");
-    bar_hp.set_percent(hp_now);
-
-    for(auto& [name, button] : $buttons) {
-      button.draw(window);
-    }
-
-    for(auto& [name, meter] : $meters) {
-      meter.draw(window);
-    }
-
-    for(auto& label : $labels) {
-      label.draw(window);
+    auto& world = $gui.world();
+
+    for(auto& [name, cell] : $gui.cells()) {
+      auto button = $gui.entity(name);
+      world.set<lel::Cell>(button, cell);
+      world.set<Rectangle>(button, {});
+      world.set<Clickable>(button, {100});
+      world.set<Textual>(button, {name});
     }
 
+    $gui.init();
   }
 
-  void CombatUI::click(int x, int y) {
-    if(auto name = $layout.hit(x, y)) {
-      if((*name).starts_with("button_")) {
-        auto& button = $buttons.at(*name);
-        button.shape.setFillColor({100, 0, 0});
-      }
-    }
+  void CombatUI::draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
+    $gui.render(window);
   }
 }
diff --git a/combat_ui.hpp b/combat_ui.hpp
index 961d809..59b70af 100644
--- a/combat_ui.hpp
+++ b/combat_ui.hpp
@@ -2,25 +2,15 @@
 #include "panel.hpp"
 #include "levelmanager.hpp"
 #include <SFML/Graphics/RenderWindow.hpp>
-#include <SFML/Graphics/RectangleShape.hpp>
 #include <SFML/Graphics/Font.hpp>
-#include <SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp>
-#include "lel.hpp"
-#include "gui_gadgets.hpp"
+#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
 
 namespace gui {
   class CombatUI {
     public:
-      std::string $grid =
-        "[*%(100,150)button_attack1 | *%(100,150)button_attack2 | *%(100,150)button_attack3 | *%(100,150)button_heal]"
-        "[ >.%(100,50)label_hp | *%.(200,50)bar_hp | _ ]";
-      lel::Parser $layout;
+      GUECS $gui;
       GameLevel $level;
-      sf::Font $font;
-      sf::RectangleShape $background;
-      std::unordered_map<std::string, gui::Button> $buttons;
-      std::vector<gui::Label> $labels;
-      std::unordered_map<std::string, gui::Meter> $meters;
+
       CombatUI(GameLevel level);
 
       void render();
diff --git a/ecs_gui.cpp b/ecs_gui.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5986cd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ecs_gui.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
+#include "constants.hpp"
+
+GUECS::GUECS() {
+  $font = make_shared<sf::Font>(FONT_FILE_NAME);
+}
+
+void GUECS::position(int x, int y, int width, int height) {
+  $parser.position(x, y, width, height);
+}
+
+void GUECS::layout(std::string grid) {
+  $grid = grid;
+  $parser.parse($grid);
+}
+
+DinkyECS::Entity GUECS::entity(std::string name) {
+  auto entity = $world.entity();
+  $world.set<CellName>(entity, {name});
+  return entity;
+}
+
+void GUECS::init() {
+  $world.query<lel::Cell, Rectangle>([](const auto &, auto& cell, auto& rect) {
+    rect.init(cell);
+  });
+
+  $world.query<lel::Cell, Textual>([this](const auto &, auto& cell, auto& text) {
+    text.init(cell, $font);
+  });
+}
+
+void GUECS::render(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
+  $world.query<lel::Cell, Meter>([&](const auto &ent, const auto& cell, const auto &meter) {
+      if($world.has<Rectangle>(ent)) {
+        float level = meter.percent * float(cell.w);
+        auto& target = $world.get<Rectangle>(ent);
+        // ZED: this 6 is a border width, make it a thing
+        target.shape->setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f), float(cell.h - 6)});
+      }
+  });
+
+  $world.query<Rectangle>([&](const auto &, const auto& rect) {
+      window.draw(*rect.shape);
+  });
+
+  $world.query<Textual>([&](const auto &, const auto& text) {
+      window.draw(*text.text);
+  });
+}
+
+void GUECS::mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window) {
+  if(sf::Mouse::isButtonPressed(sf::Mouse::Button::Left)) {
+    sf::Vector2f pos = window.mapPixelToCoords(sf::Mouse::getPosition(window));
+    $world.query<lel::Cell, Clickable>([&](const auto &ent, auto& cell, auto &clicked) {
+      if((pos.x >= cell.x && pos.x <= cell.x + cell.w) &&
+          (pos.y >= cell.y && pos.y <= cell.y + cell.h))
+      {
+        auto& cn = $world.get<CellName>(ent);
+        fmt::println("clicked on entity {} with name {} and event {}",
+            ent, cn.name, clicked.event);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/ecs_gui.hpp b/ecs_gui.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..daf572c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ecs_gui.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "color.hpp"
+#include "dinkyecs.hpp"
+#include "lel.hpp"
+#include <string>
+#include <memory>
+#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
+
+using std::shared_ptr, std::make_shared;
+
+struct Textual {
+  std::string label;
+  shared_ptr<sf::Font> font = nullptr;
+  shared_ptr<sf::Text> text = nullptr;
+
+  void init(lel::Cell &cell, shared_ptr<sf::Font> font_ptr) {
+    font = font_ptr;
+    text = make_shared<sf::Text>(*font, label);
+
+    auto bounds = text->getLocalBounds();
+    auto text_cell = lel::center(bounds.size.x, bounds.size.y, cell);
+    // this stupid / 2 is because SFML renders from baseline rather than from the claimed bounding box
+    text->setPosition({float(text_cell.x), float(text_cell.y) - text_cell.h / 2});
+  }
+};
+
+struct Clickable {
+  int event = 0;
+};
+
+struct Rectangle {
+  shared_ptr<sf::RectangleShape> shape = nullptr;
+
+  void init(lel::Cell& cell) {
+    sf::Vector2f size{(float)cell.w, (float)cell.h};
+    if(shape == nullptr) shape = make_shared<sf::RectangleShape>(size);
+    shape->setPosition({float(cell.x + 3), float(cell.y + 3)});
+    shape->setSize({float(cell.w - 6), float(cell.h - 6)});
+    shape->setFillColor(ColorValue::DARK_MID);
+    shape->setOutlineColor(ColorValue::MID);
+    shape->setOutlineThickness(1);
+  }
+};
+
+struct Meter {
+  float percent = 100.0;
+};
+
+struct CellName {
+  std::string name;
+};
+
+class GUECS {
+  public:
+  DinkyECS::World $world;
+  shared_ptr<sf::Font> $font = nullptr;
+  lel::Parser $parser;
+  std::string $grid = "";
+
+  GUECS();
+
+  void position(int x, int y, int width, int height);
+  void layout(std::string grid);
+  DinkyECS::Entity entity(std::string name);
+
+  inline lel::CellMap& cells() {
+    return $parser.cells;
+  }
+
+  inline DinkyECS::World& world() {
+    return $world;
+  }
+
+  void init();
+  void render(sf::RenderWindow& window);
+  void mouse(sf::RenderWindow &window);
+};
diff --git a/gui.cpp b/gui.cpp
index e47014e..6e8ceea 100644
--- a/gui.cpp
+++ b/gui.cpp
@@ -361,10 +361,8 @@ namespace gui {
   }
 
   void FSM::mouse() {
-    if(sf::Mouse::isButtonPressed(sf::Mouse::Button::Left)) {
-      sf::Vector2f pos = $window.mapPixelToCoords(sf::Mouse::getPosition($window));
-      $combat_view.click(pos.x, pos.y);
-    }
+    // need to sort out how this will be easier with multiple UIs
+    $combat_view.$gui.mouse($window);
   }
 
   void FSM::generate_map() {
@@ -411,6 +409,8 @@ namespace gui {
             } else {
               $status_view.log("You MISSED the enemy.");
             }
+
+            // this is where we tell the combat ui about the damage
           }
           break;
         case eGUI::COMBAT_START:
diff --git a/gui_gadgets.hpp b/gui_gadgets.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 39e28be..0000000
--- a/gui_gadgets.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-#include <SFML/Graphics/RectangleShape.hpp>
-#include <SFML/Graphics/Font.hpp>
-#include <SFML/Graphics/Text.hpp>
-#include "lel.hpp"
-
-namespace gui {
-  struct Label {
-    sf::Font &font;
-    sf::Text text;
-    lel::Cell& cell;
-
-    Label(lel::Cell& cell, std::string label_text, sf::Font &font) :
-      font(font),
-      text(font, label_text),
-      cell(cell)
-    {
-      auto bounds = text.getLocalBounds();
-      auto text_cell = lel::center(bounds.size.x, bounds.size.y, cell);
-      // this stupid / 2 is because SFML renders from baseline rather than from the claimed bounding box
-      text.setPosition({float(text_cell.x), float(text_cell.y) - text_cell.h / 2});
-    }
-
-    void draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
-      window.draw(text);
-    }
-  };
-
-  struct Button {
-    Label label;
-    lel::Cell& cell;
-    sf::RectangleShape shape;
-
-    Button(lel::Cell& cell, std::string label_text, sf::Font &font) :
-      label(cell, label_text, font),
-      cell(cell)
-    {
-      shape.setPosition({float(cell.x + 3), float(cell.y + 3)});
-      shape.setSize({float(cell.w - 6), float(cell.h - 6)});
-      shape.setFillColor(ColorValue::DARK_MID);
-      shape.setOutlineColor(ColorValue::MID);
-      shape.setOutlineThickness(1);
-    }
-
-    void draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
-      window.draw(shape);
-      label.draw(window);
-    }
-  };
-
-  struct Meter {
-    sf::RectangleShape shape;
-    lel::Cell& cell;
-
-    Meter(lel::Cell& cell) :
-      cell(cell)
-    {
-      shape.setPosition({float(cell.x + 3), float(cell.y + 3)});
-      shape.setSize({float(cell.w - 6), float(cell.h - 6)});
-      shape.setFillColor(ColorValue::DARK_MID);
-      shape.setOutlineColor(ColorValue::MID);
-      shape.setOutlineThickness(1);
-    }
-
-    void draw(sf::RenderWindow& window) {
-      window.draw(shape);
-    }
-
-    void set_percent(float percent) {
-      float level = percent * float(cell.w);
-      // ZED: this 6 is a border to make it a thing
-      shape.setSize({std::max(level, 0.0f), float(cell.h - 6)});
-    }
-  };
-}
diff --git a/lel.cpp b/lel.cpp
index 52cc236..d95061b 100644
--- a/lel.cpp
+++ b/lel.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@ namespace lel {
   {
   }
 
+  Parser::Parser() : cur(0, 0) { }
+
+  void Parser::position(int x, int y, int width, int height) {
+    grid_x = x;
+    grid_y = y;
+    grid_w = width;
+    grid_h = height;
+  }
+
   void Parser::id(std::string name) {
     if(name != "_") {
       dbc::check(!cells.contains(name),
diff --git a/lel.hpp b/lel.hpp
index bbdb857..74ee59f 100644
--- a/lel.hpp
+++ b/lel.hpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace lel {
-  using Row = std::vector<std::string>;
 
   struct Cell {
     int x = 0;
@@ -26,8 +25,12 @@ namespace lel {
     bool percent = false;
 
     Cell(int col, int row) : col(col), row(row) {}
+    Cell() {}
   };
 
+  using Row = std::vector<std::string>;
+  using CellMap = std::unordered_map<std::string, Cell>;
+
   struct Parser {
     int grid_x = 0;
     int grid_y = 0;
@@ -35,9 +38,12 @@ namespace lel {
     int grid_h = 0;
     Cell cur;
     std::vector<Row> grid;
-    std::unordered_map<std::string, Cell> cells;
+    CellMap cells;
 
     Parser(int x, int y, int width, int height);
+    Parser();
+
+    void position(int x, int y, int width, int height);
     void id(std::string name);
     void reset();
     bool parse(std::string input);
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 32a85de..f95aaca 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ project('raycaster', 'cpp',
 # use this for common options only for our executables
 cpp_args=[]
 # these are passed as override_defaults
-exe_defaults = ['warning_level=2', 'werror=false']
+exe_defaults = ['warning_level=2', 'werror=true']
 
 cc = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
 
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ sources = [
   'config.cpp',
   'dbc.cpp',
   'devices.cpp',
+  'ecs_gui.cpp',
   'gui.cpp',
   'inventory.cpp',
   'lel.cpp',
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/base.cpp',
   'tests/dbc.cpp',
   'tests/dinkyecs.cpp',
+  'tests/ecs_gui.cpp',
   'tests/fsm.cpp',
   'tests/inventory.cpp',
   'tests/lel.cpp',
diff --git a/tests/ecs_gui.cpp b/tests/ecs_gui.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5bdb877
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ecs_gui.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
+#include <fmt/core.h>
+#include "constants.hpp"
+#include "ecs_gui.hpp"
+
+
+TEST_CASE("prototype one gui", "[ecs-gui]") {
+  GUECS gui;
+  gui.position(0, 0, 1000, 500);
+  gui.layout("[test1|test2|test3][test4|_|test5]");
+
+  for(auto& [name, cell] : gui.cells()) {
+    auto& world = gui.world();
+    auto button = gui.entity(name);
+    world.set<lel::Cell>(button, cell);
+    world.set<Rectangle>(button, {});
+    world.set<Clickable>(button, {});
+    world.set<Textual>(button, {name});
+  }
+
+  gui.init();
+
+  // at this point it's mostly ready but I'd need to render it to a window real quick
+  sf::RenderWindow window;
+  window.setSize({SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT});
+  gui.render(window);
+  window.display();
+}
diff --git a/tests/lel.cpp b/tests/lel.cpp
index 2bd3088..8898a23 100644
--- a/tests/lel.cpp
+++ b/tests/lel.cpp
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@
 #include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
 #include <fmt/core.h>
 #include <string>
-#include "ansi_parser.hpp"
-#include <codecvt>
-#include <iostream>
-#include <vector>
 
 TEST_CASE("test basic ops", "[lel]") {
   lel::Parser parser(0, 0, 500, 500);